Beyond the horizion
by heyxjudee
Summary: Sookie is summoned to Fangtasia by Eric who wishes to have the infamous 'talk'. Angry about a lack of contact with Eric, Sookie gets into a fight with him and says something that will change everything for her and there is no going back.
1. Chapter 1

Another summons from Mr. High Handed. That was the reason for me to drive all this freaking way, at night, by myself ,to Fangtasia. Seriously? I hadn't heard from Eric since the night I handed him that stupid knife. Life had gotten back to normal and I was happy for it. No vampire politics, no death, and certainly no talk with Eric. For the first time since I've known him I hoped he summoned me to use my 'gift'. I did not want to talk to him about us or his recently regained memories. I was not ready for that.

I pulled into the Fangtasia lot and could see the line of fang bangers dying (excuse the pun) to get inside to be with real live(?) vampires. Stupid people. If they really knew any, they would run for the hills.

Pam was covering the door in one of her normal latex work outfits. It's hard to believe that in her off time she prefers looks that are suburban-housewife-ish, soccer mom and all that. She shot me a slight grin "He's inside, his booth, go on in." I nodded and headed in.

Not that she needed to tell me he's here. I could feel him with every fiber of me being when he's near me. Stupid bond. I hated him so much for doing that to me. Nothing is ever mine. I don't even know if my feelings are my own. Probably not. Everything is his way or not at all. All I want is my independence from him. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself, I've proved that. I don't need him trying to step in and control everything. Its America, we have freedom, and I have rights, but that apparently doesn't matter to him.

By the time I reached his table I was fuming and I was geared up for a fight. So geared up that I didn't really register that he already has a gin and tonic waiting for me, or that he was drinking a bottle of true blood even though he hates that shit. I barely even registered how amazing he looked in his tight Fangtasia t-shirt and dark jeans. Oh no I was beyond seeing these things. I sat right down and before he opened his mouth I was already on the attack.

"Why the heck am I here? Need more use of 'gift' or do you just enjoy making me drive all this way for nothing?"

If I was smart I would have seen the slight darkness over take his features, that slight bit of hurt creep in to his eyes, but I wasn't really paying attention.

"No, lover, I thought it might be time to have our talk now that things are finally settle in the new regime. I thought tonight was as good a night as any to discuss it."

"Discuss what?" my sass was over the top but I didn't care. The more worked up I got the less stable my shields were becoming. Thoughts starting slipping in all about sex, sex, sex ."There is nothing to discuss. You have your life, and I have mine. I don't want anymore of this vampire shit. I came tonight outa courtesy, to give you the heads up on that."

"Sorry, lover, but you are in this 'vampire shit' as you so eloquently put it whether you want to be or not."

I wanted to fight, if we fought we wouldn't talk and that's what I was going for. His refusing to fight with me was even more aggravating, I didn't even have control over whether we fought or not. His side of the bond was closed so I couldn't really feel anything of what he was feeling, which made it worse. He could feel me but I couldn't feel him. That was completely unfair.

"This is ridicules! You don't get to make choices for me, Eric. You have no right to decided for me. It's my life, if I say I'm out than I'm out. No questions or anything from you. You egotistical controlling bastard." Ok I said it, and I knew I went to far but why quit while I was already ahead, right? I just kept on going. "You forcing me into a blood bond with you and tricking me into handing you a pretty knife doesn't mean anything to me. It's America buddy, I have rights, I have freedom. Some high handed, stupid Viking isn't gonna take that from me."

I was talking so fast that he didn't even react while I was I whisper yelling at him. The thoughts were leaking in in screaming in my head. One voice was so loud I couldn't help but listen.

_Renounce him and the bond, renounce him and the pledge, renounce him._

It kept chanting in my head, over and over. I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around me. That is, until Eric was lifting me by my arm and casually hauling me towards his office. He leaned down and hissed in my ear. "We have much to discuss, you and I, lets take this my office, shall we?"

It wasn't a question and I knew it and it set me off. I jerked out of his grip and gave him a glare the could rival the arctic winter. And without thinking opened my mouth and said something I wish I hadn't.

"I renounce the bond, the pledge, and you."

Wow. I have seen vampires go still but this was over the top. He froze, just froze. It seemed like the whole world froze. No thoughts, no music, no anything except the look in his eyes. The look that made me wish I never opened my mouth. The look that I bet I had when he told me of Bill's betrayal in New Orleans, like I ripped his heart out and spit on him.

The feelings of hurt were overwhelming. I don't think I had ever experienced that much emotional pain in my life. His face betrayed nothing though.

I was brought out of this weird frozen moment by Pam appearing beside me. She gripped me by my ponytail and dragged me to his office. I screamed from the sudden physical pain. She flicked her wrist and tossed me by my hair onto the couch. I readjusted myself, and sat. I was just looking at her, ready to open my mouth again, but this time I thought better of it. A few moments later Eric came in and closed the door, resting his hand on it. He didn't turn around. Pam was giving me the coldest look I have ever seen and I was truly terrified, more scared that I had ever been.

"What. Have. You. Done." Pam's voice was as cold and acidic as her look.

I honestly didn't know what I had done, so I kept quiet. The silence was heavy and tense. Eric slowly turned around to face me. I couldn't distinguish what he was feeling. The bond gave nothing away. It was like I hit a wall when I tried to probe it for any clue as to how I should proceed from here.

When Eric spoke it was slow and it sounded like he was trying to keep his emotions in check. "You do not understand what you have done, do you? You do not understand how lucky you are. You yell at me because you have no choices and you yell at me because I am controlling your life. You have not seen control."

I was going to start on him about who he thought he was, but he shot me a look and I stayed quiet. Pam was still staring at me.

"After the bonding in Rhodes I let you leave with the Tiger. I foolishly thought that if I gave you the choice, that you would eventually come around. I did not expect you to realize the seriousness of the blood bond but I had hoped that you would have enough respect for me to at least recognize the attachment.

Things happened, too many things happened. Then the take over, and I remembered…everything…of our time together. I remembered your feelings, and mine. I pushed them to back of my mind because of the coup and the situation we found ourselves in.

When the King became more interested than he should have, and Victor did as well, I did the only thing within my power to do. The last possible thing I could do with you still being human, because you didn't want to be turned. I gave you the 'pretty knife' and pledged us. Again you didn't understand, so I gave you space to work things out in your head first. I gave you what you wanted, freedom." He paused. Trying to get his temper in check. "But even you must know that nothing comes without a price. I was punished for that action. The action I only took to keep you safe from the King."

I couldn't even think of anything to say.

Exasperated he spoke. "You seem to misunderstand. You act as if this protection I have provided you just happens. As if just because we're pledged you are safe. This is not so. The reason you are safe, is because I make you that way. With the pledge no one could take you from me, but that doesn't mean that they can not kill me to get you. I have to fight to protect you, I have to fight to protect myself, and I have to fight to protect the people in my charge."

The was a pregnant pause before he continued.

"You make fighting for everything much more difficult. Every time you speak against me in public, every time you do as you like even though I ask you other wise, every time you demand independence and freedom, you make me look weak. **Weak people die! **I had hoped that you would get it by now. That you would see that all I have ever done was try to protect you…and for the life of me I cannot understand why. " He sounded slightly broken at the last statement.

"I let my emotions cloud my judgment, I foolishly did things that put me right in the middle of fire, for you, just to have you turn around and blame me for trying to rule your life."

I was holding back tears.

His voice was sad and tired and sounded every bit of his thousand years.

"You do not know what being truly controlled is like. You do not know the meaning of freedom until you know what it is like to have none. You do not see what things could be like for you, the pain you would suffer, the humiliation you would endure, if you had a master that saw fit to treat you like that. I have never wanted to be your master, I simply wanted to be your equal. You expect respect, but will not give me any…I could have saved you from almost any enemy, and I would have died trying, but I am sorry that I could not save you from yourself."

I felt horrible and confused. Save me from myself? He must have seen my confusion because he answered my unasked question. Still sounding as he did before.

"You do not know what you have done, but you will soon. By rejecting the bond, the pledge, and me, you just put yourself in the middle of a battle field, with no protection."

I was trying to figure it out as he went on.

"You just deemed yourself fair game."

I was shocked and horrified. I couldn't believed I had done that. I had done some stupid stuff but never that stupid, I couldn't have.

"Your independence will be short lived, however, before someone comes to take you from your home, your family, and your life, and I can do nothing to stop it."

I was on overload, surely he could do something he always had before.

"Every thing with me was a choice, I gave you choice. You wanted space from me, you wanted to go somewhere, you wanted your job, you wanted many things and everything was your decision. I gave you that because I did not want you to come to resent me." he gave a chuckled that lacked all amusement "See how well that worked out, right."

He gave me a pitying smile

"Others do not care if you hate them, they do not care that you resent them, they do not care if you are in pain or sad. They will not care if you are willing or not for anything they deem fit, physically or other wise."

Just the thought of someone forcing me to do anything sexually after Uncle Bartlett and Bill was one of my biggest fears.

"You don't see how easy you had it with me. You can't even run, because someone will find you. You can't go to Bill, Sam, your brother, Alcide or even Quinn to help you. They are not strong enough."

My I-am-so-fucked-meter was off the charts. But I thought I could always get help from my great grandfather. Until Eric shot that down.

"And if you go to Niall for help, it would start a war, and he would die. He is old and powerful but he would not survive a war with the vampires to save you and then a war with the fae to keep you alive."

Then a slight bit of hurt slipped back into his tone.

"You didn't want me and I accept that but I had hoped you would see the positives with being bound to me, the freedom you had that you would not get elsewhere. You want your independence from me, your choices back, your life back, and you will have it. You renounced the bond, you renounced the pledge, and you renounced me. You are getting your wish. You are getting free from me." His eyes were so sad it was unbearable. He finished quietly.

"I hope it is everything you wished it was, but I doubt that it will be."

I was still reeling from this. I placed my hand over my closed my eyes trying to figure out what had just happened. Pam and Eric were both quiet.

My voice was small. As I slowly removed my hand from my face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Can't we just pretend like it never happened? Like I didn't say it?"

Eric went and sat down at his desk. Taking his business posture and tone.

"I am sorry Miss Stackhouse, but we can not. There were to many witnesses to your words, to many to verify your statement. Things are as they are, we cannot change them."

I was hurt by his cold shoulder.

"Miss Stackhouse? Earlier it was lover. Now its Miss Stackhouse? I think we're beyond formal names, don't you Eric?"

"No I don't and I would appreciate it if you didn't address me so informally, Miss"

"This is crap. I say one wrong thing and your what? Completely done? Everything we've been through and it comes to this? Eric this is ridicules!"

He had held his business tone and posture up until my comment, then he went into Sheriff mode.

"Excuse me but if you feel the need to use any name other than Mr. Northman it should only be Sheriff, thank you. This is not my fault. You didn't say _A_ wrong thing you said _THE_ wrong thing. The one thing that I can't do anything for. You made your bed, now you get to lie in it."

I couldn't believe he would be this emotionless with me, so I tried something I hadn't tried on purpose for a long time. I tried to listen to his thoughts. I focused hoping it would work and give me some clue what to do, how he felt, anything. I tried combining my telepathy with the bond that was there but was currently uncomfortably silent.

_I suggest, you not try this again. You don't need one more reason for people to want to own you or for others to want you gone. Get out of my head and don't even think of trying it again. _

He leveled his look on me. I was freaking out. Not only did it work but he knew I was in his head. He knew I could do that, not that I had ever wanted to or even tried to, but still that I could do it. His expression softened slightly.

_Do not worry this be between us. I care about you to much to make things worse for you. Even though I really shouldn't give a shit. This is my last gift to you. Now, your on your own._


	2. Chapter 2

I just sat that there for a second. Looking at this man. I went from freaking out to angry. How dare he? How dare he just give up on me like this? I stood up put my hands on my hips and was about to lay into him for not keeping his promise to protect me when he held up his hand in a halt.

"You would be wise, not to open your mouth to say that next comment that I know you have. I do not have the need or inclination to listen to more of your whining or yelling. I can do no more for you, and I have business to attend to. Have a pleasant night." he flicked his gaze to Pam who was still glaring at me. "Pam, If you could please escort Miss Stackhouse to her car, and on your way out send in the new brunette. I'm feeling a bit…hungry. You are dismissed."

I was beyond outraged. What the fuck. But before I could say anything Pam grabbed my arm in a vice grip and pulled me from his office. The last thing I heard him say was something I didn't understand.

"Se till att hon kommer hem säkert. Det är en order" [Make sure she gets home safely. That's an order]

Pam pulled me out the employee door and walked me over to my car. She flicked me in the direction of the passenger door opened it for me and jammed me inside. She sped around to opened the driver's side and slid in and held out her hand for the keys.

"Oh no, get the fuck outa my car. You are not coming with me." I hissed at her. She leveled me with a glare again but I was still so angry it didn't faze me.

"I'm doing what I have to do, you can either give me the keys and be quiet or I can knock you out and take the keys. Either way I'm driving. So what happens now is up to you, I kind of hope we go the direction of me knocking you out but hey, the _CHOICE_ is yours."

I was so not in the mood for that so I handed her the keys, crossed my arms and stared out the window the entire ride home.

Pam drove well over the limit and faster than I thought my little car could go. The music wasn't on and she wasn't talking. When we got to my home she turned off the car, handed me the keys, was out of the car and up on the porch before I even undid my seat belt. She walked right inside and by the time I made it into the house Pam was already speaking with Amelia.

"I advise you stay far away from here, and would suggest you leave as soon you can. It wont be long before there's going to be a lot of 'visitors' in the area. You aren't safe here any longer."

Amelia was as taken back as I was.

"What do you mean?" Amelia's mind was going hectic and all her thoughts came back to why Eric wasn't going to stop the 'visitations'.

I answered for Pam. "Because Eric's a liar, and decided he doesn't want to protect me anymore. Whatever, we'll be fine. Nothings gonna happen anyway."

"I suggest you watch your mouth little girl, this is your fault, not his. You did this, and you have NO IDEA what he's protected you from. Or what you just unleashed on yourself. And you were told to refer to him as Sheriff. Blood bags don't get to call him Eric. Call him Eric again and I'll cut your tongue out." Pam was not a happy camper.

Amelia directed her question to Pam

"What? Wait, what happened? I thought Sook was just going to do a reading for him."

"He actually wanted to have their 'talk' and she exploded on him. She was beyond rude and disrespectful. This will mean more to you than it does her…" she gave me a pointed glare. "because she doesn't even know what it means." she looked back to Amelia. "She renounced the bond, the pledge, and Eric. In the bar, in front of witnesses."

Amelia snapped her head in my direction and looked paler than a ghost. "PLEASE tell me you DIDN'T do that. PLEASE tell me you didn't SAY that."

"I asked if I could take it back and that a-hole told me no. I didn't do anything wrong."

Her eyes started to water. "Oh my, Sook. I cant believe you did that. Do you even know what it means?"

I was getting tired of everyone asking me if I knew what it meant. I was snippy with her too. "Yes I do Amelia. It means to declare one's abandonment of a claim, right, or possession. So what?"

"You really don't know do you? The rules of the supernatural world are different. It means your alone with no protection. From Eric, from Eric's line, from anyone in his retinue, or his direct connections."

I paused, I thought Eric was just abandoning me when he said that he couldn't help me. My anger was slowly ebbing into to fear.

Amelia continued speaking while getting paler as she saw I was staring to become afraid. "You remember you told me about Alcide abjuring Debbie? That's what you did to Eric, but not just Eric, everyone connected to him."

"Oh. My. God" I breathed out. I was trying to get my heart beat under control.

Pam decided that it was a good idea to talk to me in my a panic educed state.

"I always said you were trouble. As if him fighting and bartering with friends and other states; as if calling in debt after debt, favor after favor to connect you to someone strong enough to protect you if he met the final death; as if the week De Castro had Eric chained in silver for pledging to you; if these weren't punishment enough with him knowing you didn't love him, you renounced him on the night he was going to tell you he loved you and offer you the chance to go to another, while still living in your home and still being protected."

My eyes were burning from the tears that I wouldn't let fall. "No, no he abandoned me. This is his fault."

She looked at me with no compassion, or mercy.

"No its not. He challenged his two regents for you, Sophie-Ann and Felipe. That in and of itself is considered treason, which is punishable by death and he was lucky to escape with mild punishments. This, this my dear, is all your doing. He was honest. You have never seen how many bonded humans are. You have never seen the scars they bare, the things they are made to do. Some, yes, some are treated very well. Like you. With respect, with honor, with pride. They are viewed as mates. Lifelong companions.

Others, they are disgusting creatures. They are degraded, they have no home, no family, no life, no choice. They are chained to their masters, naked and bruised and broken and on display. They cannot speak, they cannot move, they can hardly breath with out permission. They cannot leave the masters side. Many of them aren't allowed outside. Not that they would run away, no, even they aren't stupid enough to do that. No they aren't allowed outside because they don't know what to do with themselves without orders and guidance. Their masters break their spirits, dominate their bodies, and smother their souls. I bet your wondering why other bonded humans don't renounce their bonds if their treated unfairly? They don't get to. They know that if they do there will always be another master worse than the one they have so they keep their mouths shut. And very few vampires would even pledge themselves to humans, so they never have to worry about the added strains of that.

Eric turned down everyone and every offer he was given for you. You yelled and were angry because he decided tonight he wanted to talk. Simply to talk. To have you understand things, because he thought you had the right to know. The right to have all the information needed to make a valid decision. Which of course, the decision was yours. You renounced him because he wanted to talk.

You have no one left to protect you, to help you. None are strong enough to defend you even if they ignored your current predicament, which they can't. Eric swallowed his pride and made alliances with the weres and the panthers and fairies and the shifter to help protect you. So you cannot go to them. You cannot go to Bill or anyone else in this area, or to regents of Mississippi, Texas, New York, California and couple other odd states because he decided that he would want you have freedom to choose your protector. He had a whole list of people, places, even creatures that he had set in place if something happened. He spread out so far in that need to help you that now, all of it is void because it was all planned before you renounced him. He never planned on you doing that. He thought for as much as you might not want to be with him, you at least understood their were worse people. You let your anger lead you down a path, no one can save you from.

I hope your independence, freedom, and choices, however long they may last, were worth what you did to him. He has not been with another since Rhodes. He barely feeds on people anymore, only when he needs to be in top shape to protect you does he, but nothing more then he needs. You will never find another willing to do all he has done for you. You were so quick to forgive and trust Bill, and Quinn, and everyone else who has betrayed and lied and used you. But Eric. No, Eric didn't deserve your trust. Eric didn't deserve your loyalty. Eric didn't deserve your love.

You blame too much on Eric, everything someone else has done to hurt you, you've blamed Eric for. Maybe, one day, you'll look in the mirror and find that your not so blameless after all."

"And Amelia if you need help getting out of here, I'll help you anyway I can."

Pam gave a quick nod to Amelia and was gone.

I looked at Amelia with tears in her eyes as well as my own and I didn't know what to say. I had never heard Pam say so much, and I never felt worse in my life.

Until the bond opened back up and it felt like my soul was being ripped apart as I fell to the floor. I didn't know what was happening but my head was throbbing, my skin was burning, and I was having minor convulsions.

Amelia just stood there. Looking at me, no words, no emotions, nothing.

"He accepted the cut of the claim. That's the pain your feeling. Your blood is being separated from his. You body's ridding itself of him completely." she sighed " I wish I knew what to say to you, but I don't." she sat down and put my head on her lap and was stroking my hair trying to calm me. She spoke in a calming voice like a mother uses with an infant.

"The fall leaves  
and when it arrives in April,  
will touch my soul.  
You approach,  
come on over me.  
After so much solitude  
then I will feel.  
I find my peace in you.  
When the city sleeps  
and bids farewell to the sun,  
I'll look again  
to achieve this illusion.  
I will find you and love me so  
and listen in silence  
the voice of the heart.  
And the storm will calm down in your arms,  
worth waiting for your love  
because a day will come.  
I will find you and love me so  
and listen in silence  
the voice of the heart.  
And the storm will calm down in your arms,  
worth waiting for your love tomorrow.  
I'll hold you in silence,  
whole life I've waited for your love  
and that day comes, I know you'll come to me. "

I was sobbing by the time she as done speaking. I was still in pain but I messed up so bad. I had no clue what I was going to do to fix it.

She sighed "Don't worry Sook, we'll get through this and fix it, not sure how, but we will."

I wished I could believe her but I didn't know where to even start.


	3. Chapter 3

Days. Days I laid in my room. I didn't really move all that much. I didn't care to. About all I did was cry and sleep. There was a hole in my chest where the bond was. An emptiness that no amount of tears expressed. An ache that no amount of medication could quell. A loneliness that no crowded room could fix.

The bond was gone and with it, my confusion on that topic. I never really thought about the bond before those days in self induced solitary. I didn't want the bond, but when I was finally without it I came to realize how much of a comfort it provided. There were times when I was lonely and I missed Eric but I never really felt alone. I could always feel him in the back of my mind, buzzing away. Being without it was horrible. I always thought that he controlled my emotions. That he used it to try to make me 'heel' like he told Andre I did. I thought he used it to make me care for him, trust him, but the emotions I held for him didn't change. The trust I had in him was still there. The love I had for him was still there. And my god did I love him. Everything from his ruthlessness and ego to his soft way with me. I couldn't believe I ever doubt it, or him. I thought about that a lot.

Then I got to thinking about what Pam said. All that he had done for me. All that he had been willing to do for me. I replayed her words over and over in my head. She was right, I always blamed him. No matter who did what to me, I always took it out on Eric. I guess it came down to since everyone else had hurt me that he was bound to do it. That he would betray me too. That I might as well blame him because he may not be guilty this time, but he would be soon so why not deal with it before it happened. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. What took me time to see was that the shoe did drop but I was the one who dropped it. I thought about what it would have felt like if he did to me what I did to him. My ignorance on the subject of the phrase I used didn't really matter. It didn't take away what had happened, just like if I was driving and I hit an animal, it didn't matter if I didn't see it, the animal still got hurt.

Hurt.

The hurt I must have caused him. How much he must have hated me. How many times I must have hurt him, granted he wasn't an angel either but his heart was almost always in the right place. He never intentionally hurt me. Unlike me who seemed like all I wanted to do was hurt him. Hurt him because he didn't remember our time together, hurt him because he left me when he the witch's curse was gone. Quinn was the worst way I hurt him I think, up until I renounced him. Eric had never paraded around with a fang banger to make me jealous or upset like I did with Quinn. I didn't see it as doing that at the time I was doing it but looking back it was what I did. I pretty much threw Quinn in Eric's face. Eric was right I expected respect but didn't give it to him.

It seemed like everyone was right about how I was acting but me. I thought I was being independent but I was really being childish. I wasn't acting like the southern lady that I thought was, I was being an unmannered bitch.

Then I thought of what Gran would say. I even thought that I would go out to her grave and talk to her because she always knew what to do. I didn't go though because one; it wasn't safe and two; I was ashamed. I was pretty sure that Gran would bent me over her knee for what I'd been acting like. As the days rolled by I became less and less worried about me and my safety and more about Eric.

Amelia helped lessen the worries about safety though. Amelia extended the wards out to cover the entire property and she checked them almost obsessively. No one, and I mean no one, got within a good couple acres of the house. She called up Octavia who had been in New Orleans visiting friends to get new protection spells and to have her look into stronger ones. It was just me and Amelia in the house for the longest time.

We got a couple phone calls. I never answered but I heard in Amelia's head who called. Sam and Bill called a couple times, the first call was from Bill the night everything happened. When she tried to give me the phone I sobbed and broke down telling her that I didn't want any phone calls no matter who they were from.

She didn't try to hand me the phone after that.

Pam called one night about a week and a half after the 'event' (which is what I called it in my thoughts). I didn't check why, once I heard in Amelia's head who it was I put my shields up. If Pam said anything about Eric I thought it was better that I didn't know. I couldn't bare hearing if he was hurt and upset but I also couldn't bare to hear that everything was fine and back to normal. It was a selfish thought but didn't make it any less true. I didn't want him to suffer but I didn't want him to be able to go back to how he was before he knew me. I knew I couldn't act like I never knew him. He changed a lot for me, and was in most of the major events in my life since I got mixed up in the supernatural world. In a weird twisted up way I even enjoyed the time we spent together when it was bad things that happened to me.

The night after Pam called Amelia went out grocery shopping. I didn't think anything of it. We needed food, well, she needed food. I wasn't really eating, or doing much else. I kept trying to tell myself not to wallow. That Stackhouse's were made of stronger stuff but I figured why fight it? If someone came and took me it would be less painful for me if I just went with it. Before I would have been cleaning or fighting against the feeling of the abyss in my body but that was before. What I was doing before got had me in this mess. I figured that after everything that had happened in my life I deserved a pity party. I didn't think I would make it as long as was but I figured I deserved one none the less.

I was so stuck in said pity party that I didn't realize there was void on my property until they were on my porch. I should have been afraid but I wasn't. I expected this. Amelia's wards wouldn't hold forever or keep everyone out. I had showered that morning so I wasn't nasty as I had been the previous days so I just got up and went to the door. They didn't knock but I was sure anyone who wanted to kidnap me wasn't to intent on using manners. I was just happy they didn't kick down the door. The house had taken so much that I was sure one good, swift kick to the front door would bring the whole house down.

I got to the door with my hair in lopsided ponytail, in my oversized Fangtasia t-shit and shorts, with my eyes red and swollen from crying more than I thought humanly possible, not really caring what I looked like. I was kind of hoping no one would want to kidnap a skuzzy person but honestly I just felt closer to Eric wearing the shirt I got from when I was attacked by the maenad. It was pathetic how much I missed him. I had definitely gone longer than a week and a half with out seeing him but without the bond it was unbearable. I opened the door as if there was no danger outside, as if it was just someone who was there for a friendly visit. Amelia wasn't home so there was no reason for me to worry. I was over worrying for myself so I didn't hesitate to see who it was. All I was thinking was that it took them long enough to come and that I was glad Amelia wasn't in danger. I felt horrible for dragging her into this but it was just one more thing to add to my list of regrets, which was getting p-r-e-t-t-y long.

I open the door and stepped outside.

Who I saw confused me. I had thought of a lot of people who would come here for me after what happened, but I was not expecting her.


	4. Chapter 4

The Ancient Pythoness.

She was not even on my list of people in my head for who would be here.

She was just sitting on my porch swing staring out into my yard. Well not really staring with her lack of eye sight and all but the idea was still there. She didn't say anything as I approached her. I stopped next to the swing and looked at her. We were both quiet for a while. She spoke in the direction of yard.

"So child, what have gotten yourself into?"

I tried to think of something snippy to say but it wasn't in me. So I went with honesty.

"I don't know but I know I'm screw and that I deserve it." I paused. "Are you here to take me?"

She turned to look at me, tilted her head and gave a small tight lipped smile.

"No, I'm not. I came because I had some visions. I always have seen something with your future, but then almost two weeks ago it changed. I don't know why it changed but it was drastic enough to alter the entire outcome of my vision. Do you know the event in which I am talking about?"

"Yea I do. I renounced Eric." Just saying that out loud to someone made the emptiness rise back up to the surface. The tears welled back up in my eyes.

"That would be a very good reason for the alteration I've seen. It definitely explains why Eric is no longer in many of the visions at all. This is very bad. For you and for us all."

"What do you mean? And how are you even on my porch? Amelia put up wards, **a lot **of wards. Are there not vampires looking for me?"

I went and sat down next to her with my hands folded in my lap.

She gave a soft chuckle.

"Oh my dear, there have been vampires circling your property trying to get passed the wards since they went up, even a few Weres and other creatures. They are all waiting for the wards to fall. Obviously, the wards are very strong. Your witch is very powerful. I must commend her. If not for my talent I would never have gotten through. I only had my witch lower a little part, let me in, and raised it again. It took quite a while to even be done and would have been impossible if not for my visions of Amelia raising them in the first place."

I was really proud of Amelia because to have the A.P (The Ancient Pythoness. Which is what I called her because even in my head that was a mouthful) compliment the wards was something that seemed crazy to me. They had to have been good for the A.P to say something like that.

She gave an unnecessary sigh "As for what I mean, I'm assuming your wondering about the vision, yes?"

I nodded. I had a bad feeling about the visions since she said they changed drastically.

"My first visions, after you were bonded, were about you and Eric becoming King and Queen of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Nevada. Then, after you were pledged, they changed to Eric and you becoming King and Queen of North America. All with you remaining human. In the visions the reasoning for all of this was always the same: Eric's intention to protect you. There were different visions about ways these things came about but in the end you both became monarchs. You both had an _amazing_ rule. You two finally ended the age old war between the Vampires and the Fae, for good. When you finally turned, you two started an age of peace between many species."

"Wow, that sounds crazy." That was about all I could say. I didn't even have much inflection in my voice. I just stated the fact that it was.

"I know it must to someone as young as you but you would never believe the things that have happened in my life time." She looked every bit of her more than 2000 years with that statement. I had done some research on her and some other vampires after Rhodes with Bill's database. It didn't get any more specific than B.C.E for her.

"But back to my visions, as I said they have changed. When you renounced Eric, everything became twisted, dark, and wrong. The visions I had of you were… even after my many years, and many horrible thing I've seen… it was heart breaking." her glazed eyes had taken on the red rim of unshed tears. "For one so young, so alive, so full of light, to be reduced to nothing."

I started to cry softly. If she, having seen so much, wanted to cry for me I knew I was in deep trouble

Her eyes took on a luminous quality, still rimmed in red, when she continued. "Felipe DeCastro becomes your master. He chains you to his bed for his amusement and use. This is the place you are broken. This is the place of your soul's death, when he allows you to become passed about to his many followers.

After a time Felipe comes to learn of your ancestry. He turns you in hopes of controlling Niall, but things do not happen as he plans. You become the likes of which has never been seen before, but Felipe has made you into a puppet, so your power is his power. Niall, in his rage over seeing what has become of you starts the war between Vampires and Fae again. He brings the battle here. Weres and shifters and many others join with the fae due their anger over what has become of you. Many die, from every species. The state becomes a battle field painted in blood of every color.

Vampires from other states and countries join the fae eventually, all in the hopes of killing DeCastro and Victor. DeCastro does eventually die by Pam's hand but you are already so lost to yourself that you do not care who she is and kill her in revenge of your maker. Niall attempts an attack on Victor and fails.

Victor becomes your new master and orders you to kill your entire blood line and you comply. With Victor as your master, with your powers, he becomes the most powerful being to walk the earth. He has you kill the counsel and all the elders. When Victor becomes high king, you sit at his feet like a dog, as he uses your powers to fight any who oppose him. You become nothing but a weapon and a physical release for him.

The last vision I have concerning you is the death of Eric. Eric had been captured and been held prisoner and was brought before Victor for judgment. Victor sits on his throne and drones on and on about many thing, all the while with you sitting at his feet, him petting your hair. Eric, as stoic as ever, says nothing and just watches. Victor annoyed at his lack of reaction, pulls you to his lap and proceeds to have sex with you in front of Eric in the middle of his court. Eric still does not react. Victor finally growing bored and annoyed at Eric's controlled exterior; orders you to kiss Eric. After you kiss him you are told to say your goodbyes, but reply that you have none. The last thing Eric see's before he dies is you as his killer. Then I have no more visions of the future only clouds of darkness.

So yes child I would say you are 'screwed' but I would not go as far as to say that you deserve it."

I was appalled at her telling me this.

"I would never kill Eric or Pam. No matter what. I know I would never do that. I know Niall wouldn't start a war. Your visions must be wrong. I'm sorry but they are wrong." I was 100% positive that they were wrong. They had to be.

She gave a sad smile. "I wish they were child. I wish more than you could possibly know. I wish that I was not informing my killer that they will eventually destroy me. I wish I was not telling the reason for the world's darkness that they will go from a beautiful, peaceful, southern women to a weapon and slave the likes of which will kill us all. You do not know how much I wish I was wrong, but I am not. I have spoken to the seers of every race and we all say the same."

A single red tear escaped her eye and ran down her face.

Her voice had a slight hint of hysteria to it. "Even the inscription in the hall of prophecies has changed. That has **never** happened before. **Never before now. **

It use to say:

_From opposing races they come together  
Two lovers far apart  
By a knife they stand connected  
By blood they are bound  
Find peace when becoming one  
Creating a race of their own  
From south draws the light  
From north draws the dark  
Together they erase the gray  
Balance comes to all'_

Then it changed to:

_The bringer of death, broken  
A light snuffed out  
Powers beyond comprehension  
Risen by wrong maker  
Controlled by wrong man  
Blood soaked ground  
Forever unclean  
Destruction of all  
Rule eternal"_

I was so drawn in to her speaking that I was hanging on her words like it was a fairytale. (Closer to a classic Brother's Grimm fairytale but a fairytale none the less.) I couldn't picture my life beyond my small town. It sounded like something that would happen to someone else.

She continued on, sounding heart broken. Her voice made me start to cry again.

"You see now child, I wish I was wrong. You may think it impossible. You may deem it insanity. Your feelings and thoughts about it won't change it. Whatever is to be, will be, if you continue on this path. Whether you like it or not."

Her tone switched to softly determined.

"The future can change though. That can happen. You can choose a new path. Your actions can change it. You just need to know how to do it. You just need to know what to change. Usually it's not so cut and dry. Usually it's small actions lead to big reactions that lead to bigger reactions. Like a rock thrown in water and the ripple it creates. Each circle gets bigger as it gets farther from the rock.

With you there is no rock, no water. Yours is simple. More comparative to a bird with wings. With Eric you rise. Without Eric you fall.

Without Eric you fall, and bring us all with you."

I took a moment to compose myself a little before I replied.

"Eric doesn't want me any more. I wish I could change that but I can't. It's my fault all this is happening but I don't know how to fix it. How can I go to him and tell him I'm sorry, that I love him, that I made a mistake? When everything I've ever done says I don't trust him and I don't care for him. How can I do that? Maybe I deserve the pain that's headed my way. Maybe someone other than DeCastro will make me their pet. I doubt much physical pain could compare to the pain I'm feeling. The pain of not feeling him."

I broke down sobbing. She put her arm around me, laid my head on her shoulder, and she took my hand in her other hand. It must have been a sight to see one as old as her comforting me like a small child. Her thumb stroking the back of mine to sooth me.

"I can't feel him anymore. The bonds gone. Ever since it was broken I haven't done anything. I can't do anything. I sleep and I think about him and everything that's gone wrong and I don't know how to fix it. I don't even think I deserve to get someone like him. He's always been there for me, done things for me, protected me."

I choked out a slight laugh mixed with my tears. "We've saved each other so many times, I swear if it wasn't life or death it would be fun to keep score."

I sighed "Gosh he is…so…so…."

"Yours?" she said softly.

I shook my head in the negative response. "Not anymore." I whispered.

I lifted my head off her shoulder slightly.

"I'm so stupid I have lived with my telepathy my whole life and learned to ignore everyone's thoughts. That night though, that one voice in my head that was so much louder than the rest. I can't believe that I didn't just shut them out. I would never have said what I said to Eric if I hadn't heard that person thinking it. The voice sounded familiar though. I didn't even know what it meant when I opened my mouth. I thought that I might have been like a verbal slap to the face when I said it."

I cringed and laid my head back down

"Then the hurt in Eric's eyes. I will never forget that look. I swear my heart must have stopped. Then I was such a bitch afterwards to him and to Pam. I kept blaming everyone but me for my predicament. It took me days to see what I was doing, how I've been acting. Pam was right, I act blameless but I am the furthest thing from it. This time, every things on me."

We just sat there for a couple minutes. Silent. Her still comforting me.

She spoke softy. "You have learned much in the short time you have been alone. You have seen much in your short life time. Had so much heart break and betrayal. I do not wish to add more but I feel that I must.

First I must explain to you that part of my power is being able to see the future. The other part is that I can see the past, if I know what I'm looking for. I do not do it often because it is draining but I feel that knowing who this voice was is important.

As we have been sitting in silence I have been going through the night you renounced Eric. There is a boy, much like you, sitting in a booth in the back in the shadows. He is there for only a short while; then his life force peeks, you renounce Eric, Pam arrives by your side and the boy slips out of the bar. I do not know how many you know that are like you but he is one. He shares the same type of life force you give off. I suspect this is the voice you recognized. That this is the voice you heard the loudest."

I was thoughtful for a moment before I asked. "Fairy?"

She sighed. "No. A telepath"


	5. Chapter 5

"A telepath? I only know one telepath. Barry the Bellboy."

I was hurt by the knowledge that Barry would do something like this to me. I knew we didn't leave it on the best of terms in Rhodes but I still never thought he would do something like that.

"Yes child I am sorry. This must be very painful for you. What was the last you heard of him?"

" I haven't heard anything about him since we parted in Rhodes." I sniffled again.

"Well maybe it would be good to find out what we can, yes?"

"Yea but I don't know who to ask. I can't call Eric or anyone else who might know."

I felt very alone after I said that. I really had messed up big time and every time I thought about how bad I did it just seemed to get worse and worse.

"Yes my dear you cannot call Eric for information, but I can." She smiled and winked. I knew I liked the lady before but that sealed the deal. I freaking loved her the second she wink at me. I found it sweet that she was trying to cheer me up a little bit.

"Ok, if you think he'll answer you." I was still unsure but she was the A.P so I thought I'd go with it.

"Oh I promise he will. Now will you please go get me a phone. I do not use those infernal cellular devices they are too difficult for me to work out. Being blind doesn't help either." She giggled.

"Sure." I got up went inside, grabbed the wireless phone Amelia had bought for the kitchen, walked outside and sat down again.

"If you would dial it for my please." wiggling her eyebrows a little and pointed to her eyes. "I'm still slightly hindered."

I gave a soft giggle, nodded and dial the number for Fangtasia. I had it memorized. I had a bar number memorized, a vamp bar number memorized. Gosh my life was weird. I smirk at my observation of my life and handed A.P the phone.

"Lean close so you can hear, but be as quiet as you can be." she whisper conspiratorially. I giggled and complied.

Some fangbanger picked up. "Fangtasia Bar with a bite. How may I help you?" Well at least she was more courteous than ones who had had phone duty in the past.

"Hello I am calling for Sheriff Northman please."

There was a pause then the girl answered. "Master's not taking phone calls tonight, I'm sorry."

"Tell him it's the Pythoness. He'll take my call." She sounded sweet but cocky.

"I'm sorry but he expressly forbid any calls."

"I don't care, I am The Ancient Pythoness. He will take my call. I suggest you get him on the phone before I tell him I was refused. He will be unhappy if you delay me, yes?" She sounded agitated and slightly scary so the girl stutter out a 'hold on' before she drop the phone and got Eric.

"Northman." Gosh the sound of his voice made me feel a little better even if he was annoyed. Codependence at its best, I guess.

"Hello." she said it with a smile.

"May I ask who this is?" he sounded a little confused.

"The Pythoness, I had thought your employee would have told you. Sorry for my lack of introduction. I'd hate to disturb you"

"Not at all. Excuse the delay, I had some insignificant matters to attend to." His I'm-Sheriff-but-I'm-kissing-ass tone was turn on high.

"No worries. So Sheriff, how are you tonight?" I hadn't ever really heard any vampire make small talk. I found it odd, and unsettling.

"Very good. Might I inquire as to the reason for your call?"

"I was just visiting the area and talked to a young friend. It gave me a question she was unable to answer. I thought you might be of assistance."

"I was not informed of your visit to my area, we would have had a welcoming for you if I had."

"Don't worry I was more interested in my visitation than a welcoming. With the recent increase in your area I felt it easier to skip the fanfare."

"Yes… we have had quite the increase." he had a slight hint of anger slip through his controlled tone. "but it would have been no trouble hosting you." He recovered quickly.

"I know but I was in a rush. It seems she's fresh on the market and I wanted to see her before someone else snatched her up. I offered her to come with me but it seems she wishes to stay here, far be it from me to force someone to do something they do not wish to do. I decided that I would offer her my protection in the layover between protectors, but it would seem she is very intent on not changing hers but there are a few things to work out first."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for what felt like ages.

"You've seen her?" His tone had gone soft, almost pained. "Sookie?"

"Yes, the first to see her. Lucky me." she happily stated "The witch has very powerful wards, I am impressed."

"Yes. Amelia is…strong."

"And inventive as well. She has multiple wards. Did you know that one of her wards required a blood sacrifice to put up. That only a vampire who was as old or older than the donor could get through it, even with an invitation. Imagine my shock when I found no one under the 1000 year mark could get through that one. Hmm that one was indeed interesting to figure out."

I wanted to cry. He gave blood to put up a ward for me, even after everything I did.

"Well that is interesting." he tried to sound nonchalant about it. As if there were a lot of people who were over a thousand years old and willing to bleed on the ground for me. "She is definitely inventive."

"Yes, very much so. What I was most impressed with though, was her thinking of shifting the power needed for maintaining the wards to another. **She** put them up, but _someone else _is keeping them there."

She gave a slight pause for dramatic effect it seemed. I had no idea what she was talking about. Eric's side of the phone was deadly silent for all but the slight intake of breath he took when she stopped.

"A human would not be able to support that many, for as long as they have, consistently. I was trying to figure out how strong someone would have to be to do that and still function. I figure that they had to be more than human or they would tire out, but Weres and Shifters still don't hold that much power. They had to live in this realm because magic gets corrupted through the portals. Then it came down to who would be trust worthy enough to hold that kind of power, the control to let people in and out. It came down to the vampires in the area and her fairy kin. The wards have never slipped, not even once. Knowing this I had to dismiss the fairies because while they are stronger magically, their magic ceases with sleep. Vampire's magic is always there, not incredibly strong when we're dead for the day but still active which is what allows us to reanimate. Magic is in our blood and it is always running.

So I thought: Of the vampires in this area who would be strong enough to support the weight? They had to be at least 200 to be able to do it at all, 300 to do it and be coherent, 400 to appear rundown but lack the speed and other gifts we posses, 600 to act slightly odd but sluggish, and 800 or more to be perfectly normal but a bit short tempered.

Then it came down to: Who would be strong enough of those that are 200 years or older to have enough control to lower just a part. Amelia is not here, so whoever is controlling the wards had to let just her out and not let anyone else in. Which I must admit that much control is impressive in its own right but knowing it is done by vampire with no predisposition to magic at all is astounding. No one under 800 could lower just part of it. They had to be older though, to allow the opening to be only one way.

I wonder, are you catching where I'm going with this? I can keep going if you're not sure." she giggled.

I wanted to sob so badly. I was practically shaking from holding back my tears. I was so touched that even after everything, he still was there for me. That beautiful, strong, ruthless, rude, annoying, rage-inducing, violence-loving, territorial, sweet, attentive, funny, amazing, crazy Viking of a man was still trying to protect me.

If I thought I couldn't love him more before the phone call I was wrong. So very wrong. I decided then, in that moment, that no matter what I would show him how much I cared about him. I would spend my entire life or his, trying to show him how much he meant to me. _"You will never find another willing to do all he has done for you" _Pam's words floated around in my head, and she was so right. I would never find anyone else like him, but didn't want to either. Even if he found another, I knew I would love him with my entire being for as long as I existed. I felt like Bill with that line of thought but decided to be less creepy and annoying about my proclamations of my undying love, especially at inopportune times.

I still wanted to cry but I knew if I made a sound he would be on the defensive because of me. Eric tended to like doing things for me with out me knowing it was him, so I stayed quiet even if it was difficult.

"I see where you are going but that does not mean I agree." He replied vaguely.

"Eric, you and I have known each other for a very long time. Do not play evasive with me. You know I hate it when we have play formal." she said sternly

"I am sorry Py but I do not see the reason behind you pointing this out. I do not see what this achieves. If it is true, than you acknowledging it does not make it less true, or less false if it is false." I was surprised that he switch to the 'Just Eric' tone, not sheriff or businessman. Just Eric talking to a friend. This tone rarely came out to play with others.

"It achieves my knowledge that you love her, and your admittance that you do. It is true and you know it so simply stop pretending that it is someone else. As if you would leave your bonded's protection to another." she scoffed

He replied slowly, quietly, sounding tired. "She is not my bonded any more and you know this."

"Well, see, that is where we disagree. I am not in the mood to die along with much of the world over your lovers spat. Sorry but no. I'm not accepting that." I had to stifle a giggle. Old gal had spunk that was for darn sure.

"Excuse me?" he was confused. I couldn't blame him if she had said the same thing to me over an hour ago I would have been more confused then him.

"I said I'm not willing to die over your lovers spat. Which brings me back to the reason for my call. The question I wanted answered was : Where is Barry the Bellboy and what has he been up to?"

I had imagined his eyebrows making that slight shift up like they do when he get surprising news or an unexpected comment, then shifting to one eyebrow raised higher with an almost unnoticeable frown. I knew that was the face he was wearing, the face he always wore in situations like this. I just knew it.

For a second, he hesitated. I figured he was trying to piece this cluster-fuck together but when he couldn't he answered.

"Barry was bought by DeCastro from Stan of Texas. DeCastro didn't like him but couldn't send him back. We were told he was given to Victor as a reward for helping New Orleans. Which was a lie, DeCastro just wanted to get rid of Barry. I offered to take him, because Sookie seemed to enjoy the presence of another with her talent, but DeCastro figured that it was inefficient to have two telepaths in one area. Barry has been with Victor for a while now, he does readings, but does not do much else. I have heard that he has the makings of an addict which is why DeCastro wanted to get rid of him. The King can't very well house a V addict, even if he has a talent. That was also the reason Stan was willing to sell him. He apparently changed after Rhodes. A lot of things changed after Rhodes but he couldn't handle it and got into a lot of…frowned upon things. Was there anything more specific than that you wanted to know?"

"Hmmm. That is interesting. No I think you answered all my questions before I knew I had more than one." she smiled

I felt horrible for Barry. I truly did but it was his fault and he hurt me so my compassion was on vacations for him. Did it make me a horrible person? Probably but he could have got me killed just so he could get a fix. I wasn't alright with that.

"Py…Will you tell me what's going on? I don't follow." He breathed out a heavy unnecessary breath.

"You speak of Amelia's wards. You tell me you got inside the wards, which I am not happy about just so you are aware. You point out a specific ward that I helped put in place. You figure out I am the one controlling all of them. You call Sookie my bonded after you know she renounced me, after everyone is aware she renounced me. Which I do not appreciate you bringing her up with me by the way. You tell me you want me to admit my love for her. Then tell me you refuse to die with most of the world over our 'lovers spat.' Then you ask about Barry the Bell boy. Can you see where my confusion is coming from?"

"Yes I can and I will be more than willing to explain it all…when you get to Sookie's home." she said it with a shrug.

"No." he stated matter of factly. I know that voice, Gods of every religion could come down and tell him to change his mind and he still wouldn't.

"Excuse me? Did I just hear you correctly?" A.P was a little shocked it seemed.

"Yes you did. No. I am not going to her house." He was still speaking matter of factly

"Are you denying Py or are you denying The Ancient Pythoness?" She sounded a little insulted.

Que angry tone.

"Both. It is bad enough that I am reminded of her; every time a visitor comes to check in with me, every time I get a phone call about her, every time I feel someone trying to break through the wards. I am not debasing myself to come to her. She renounced me. This is not prideful or spiteful, simply fact. I have done many things I never thought I would for her. Crawling back after she kicked me away is something I refuse to do. I am not Bill Compton, I wont beg for scraps of her attention."

"You are not Bill Compton. She love you too. That is the difference. That is what makes a world of difference." There was a slight plead to her words

"I know I am not Bill Compton. He is a poor excuse for a vampire and despicable excuse for a man. I have honor, something he knows nothing of. And I am unsure of who you have been talking to but if you think she is in love with me you are mistaken. She may not always have the best instincts but survival is usually one of her better ones. If her view of me has changed it is simply because she has become aware of the danger she has found herself in and now seeks a protector. Nothing more. I am deemed worthy and pulled out and used when she is in need of saving. That is it. She finds herself in trouble and expects me to help. Once she is safe however, she will return to hating and resenting me. It had become tiring. I only continued to allow it in hopes she would eventually accept me but as you've seen that is not the case. She made her choice and I am making mine."

My heart was breaking again and again, in to smaller pieces each time. I knew a little of how he thought I saw him but damn. I couldn't believe I had let it get so bad that that was how he thought I saw him.

"If you had made your choice you would not have helped with the wards. You would not have taken the weight of them. They are a heavy load to bare. You love her. Just admit it." A.P continued to prod gently

"Why? What would be the purpose of that?" he sighed "I have no need for her to view me as I view my maker and that is what will happen. This silly talk of love and other such emotions does not change what is. She renounced me. She threw everything in my face, even when I ignored the dishonor she had brought on to herself and to me when she was with the Tiger. I allowed her everything she wanted. One of the things she wanted from me was freedom. She has it. I cannot do more. My feelings for her are irrelevant."

Dishonor? What dishonor? That was my question at the time. I had asked later what was meant by that and found out that I did the equivalent of making out with a man at my wedding, that was not my husband. Eric should have punished me and was well within his right to kill Quinn for the offense but didn't. For me, because it would have made me unhappy.

"Yet the wards. Why?" A.P really was trying to get him to the same conclusion she was at.

"Because I cannot allow anything to happen to her." He said so softy it sounded almost like he didn't say it at all. " Because when everything is said and done she is still mine."

He paused but it was one of those pauses when you know there still more to come.

"But something that is taken by force can never truly belong to you. The bond was forced, the pledge was forced, and she was forced to me. I was never her choice. I will never be her choice. But I would rather her be alive and choose someone else, than her not have a choice because she is gone. Baring the weight of the wards, feeling her life force inside, does not replace the bond we shared but comforts me because it lets me know she is alive. It may not be much but it brings me slight peace in my rest. With the all that has happened in my 1000 years, slight peace, especially after this, is the best I can hope for.

So fine Py, if it will allow you a slight peace after your many years. I will admit it. I love her. That is why I bare the weight of the wards. But it does not lessen the load to say it."


	6. Chapter 6

"My dear that is all I needed to hear. You will come to her home and you will come through at the top of her drive. I expect you to be here soon. And by soon, I mean you leave now. There is much to discuss and not much time to do it in. This is not you debasing your self. This is you fixing what's broken. Not another word from you now. I will see you soon." she said softly and she hung up.

Wow, I didn't even know what to say or do. That phone call was heartbreaking. Heartbreaking in both the good and bad sense. (Which I didn't know it could be held in a good sense before that moment.) Bad because of how things had become between us, and good because of how sweet he was even after what had happened. I didn't get to think on it much though because A.P started talking.

"Child, you will walk up your drive alone and meet him. You are perfectly safe inside the wards so have no fear. I must warn you though, when you get there, a choice must be made."

"Choice. What choice?" I had asked for people to give me the right to choose but the age old saying came back to bit me in the rump. _Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it._

"You will be asked a question. I cannot tell you what the question is because the answer cannot be made by anyone other than you. The answer must be what you want it to be, not what you think it should be because it must be genuine. I will tell you, it only requires a simple yes or no. However your answer controls what happens next.

As you walk I want you to think. Where do you want your path to go, and what are you willing to do to get there?

You must know though that you cannot have everything.

One or many.

Death or life.

Trust or distrust.

Truth or lies.

Always or never.

Yes or no, but no answer at all is still an answer.

I wish you the best of luck, child. I have a feeling your going to need it. Now go on your way"

I stood up walked off the porch and headed up the drive. I felt like I just opened a fortune cookie. A really old vampire fortune cookie but a fortune cookie none the less. She made a very broad assessment. She said a lot but gave next to nothing away.

All I got from her last words to me were that there was a choice coming. But any choice decides what happens next so that wasn't helpful for her to say that it controls what's coming. Then her saying that I can't have everything, which I knew that so I was confused as to why she mentioned it at all. Then there was the 'one or many. life or death' comment. I felt like it was a hint but it really didn't make sense at the time so I ignored it. What kept playing in my head was her saying that "no answer at all is still an answer." That didn't make sense to me at all. How could no answer still be an answer? I thought of that the whole walk up the drive. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize someone was calling my name as I continued walking.

"Sookie. Sookie! SOOKIE!" The person was getting progressively louder.

Every thought I had from before my walk was gone. The entire memory of the night went up in smoke. When the voice broke through I stopped dead in my tracks and looked up.

Quinn.

He was just standing there. Just past my mailbox on what must have been the other side of the ward. I went searching for other brain patterns just to be on the safe side but found nothing. I couldn't even find Quinn and I was looking right at him. I couldn't feel anything on the outside the wards. It was nice to not have to shield but it also unsettled me because it put me at a disadvantage.

"Babe." he smiled "How are ya? Been a while." he sounded overly sweet. Insincerely so.

"Yea, it has. Last I saw you, I had a bunch of out of state vamps on my lawn after they killed off most of Sophie-Ann's retinue. I'm alive, so I guess I'm good." I gave a bit of attitude. I was not in the mood to discuss anything with him.

"Aw, babe don't be like that. They had my mom. I had to protect my family. You know what its like to have protect people you love." he was talking to me like an adult addresses a child, when the child just doesn't get something.

"I do, I really do and I understand about your mom. But it still doesn't mean I want to talk to you." I snapped. Him talking down to me did not improve my disposition.

Before I could continue my angry chat with Quinn. It was interrupted by Bill who came out of no where, and tackled him to the ground. I was mad at Quinn but I didn't want him dead.

"Bill! Quinn! STOP IT!" I yelled, which as it turns out, was not the best idea I've ever had.

Other people who were hanging around came running because they heard me. I didn't notice them though. I ran towards Bill and Quinn who were still tumbling, tossing, biting, and hitting each other. I ran until I hit a wall, bounced off, and landed on my butt. To say I as annoyed at the turn of events was an understatement. I couldn't get out to stop them. I kept screaming at them to stop, but they kept ignoring me. I didn't want either of them to get hurt so I started pounding on the ward which had taken on a slight bubble colored look to it. I was beating to get out, the others who had come for me where beating to get in, and it went on like this for only at short while until I heard him.

"ENOUGH!" he boomed. I didn't realize Eric had gotten there until he yelled.

Everyone but Quinn and Bill stopped. I looked at Eric and he looked tired and angry. Really Angry.

"Everyone leave." Eric was calmer but not by much. "Now."

Everyone seemed to scatter at once except Bill and Quinn who were still going at each other. Quinn had at some point shifted and Bill was fighting his tiger form instead. Eric walked over and picked them both up by the scruff of their neck and held them apart. (It was very impressive). Quinn shifted back once Eric had a firm grip on them both, and looked really hurt.

"I should kill you both or at the very least punish you severely. And I think I will." Eric hadn't even acknowledged my presence, He seemed to be overjoyed at the turn of events with the boys though.

"No Eric don't! Please." I begged. I was excited to see him, but I didn't want Bill or Quinn to die. There was to much death in my life I couldn't stand anymore

"This is none of your business. Go back to your house." He tried to level me with a look

"How is this not my business? You want to kill my friends." I was getting annoyed that he thought it was none of my business.

"Trust me, I wont kill them, just give punishment where punishment is due. They have both been trying to get inside the wards for days. And it has become annoying. They want in and I said no. Now go back to your house." He stated firmly

"No. you don't get to decide who comes and goes. They wont hurt me." My attitude was full blown, I couldn't stop it, and I had no intent to. He was trying to control me again, and that made me mad.

"So you say, I'd rather not test your theory though. Sorry." He deadpanned me

"Fine then let me out, Quinn needs help." I was determined to help Quinn. I thought I owed him at least that.

"No" he said it simply as it if it was the expected answer.

"Excuse me?" My anger was flaring again.

"I am not having this fight again. If you trust me you will leave this to me. Go back to your house and I'll deal with this." He soften his tone, trying to get me to calm down.

"No" I stated firmly

He tilted his head

"No you wont go home or no you don't trust me?"

"I'm not going home."

With his head still tilted he narrowed his eyes.

"You don't trust me do you?" his tone gave nothing away

I hesitated. I then understood how no answer at all was still an answer.

Because before I could tell him that I did in fact trust him, he gave a low dark chuckle. He tossed Bill at the ward on my right side and Bill bounced off. Eric addressed me with his voice like ice.

"Of course you would trust the man who raped you, and was going to sell you to his queen."

He tossed Quinn at the ward on my left side and he bounced off.

"And of course, you would trust the man who betrayed you to his regent, multiple times."

He shook his head.

"No, I am the one who is untrustworthy. How stupid of me to not see that. In my day it was the betrayers who were untrustworthy and I know times have changed but I didn't they changed that much. Interesting.

Let us go see what the Pythoness wants and then I will return to you the power 'to decide who comes and goes' because it is 'not my right'. Then you can let your 'friends' in."

He did some sort of hand gesture and step inside the ward, turned around and repeated the gesture.

I let my mouth run away with me again and I felt horrible. I thought I had come so far, and learned so much, but when it came down to it I fell back on my habit. Attack Eric first, feel bad later. "_You let your anger lead you down a path, no one can save you from." _Pam had me pegged and I just couldn't stop myself. I didn't want to be controlled but I didn't have to keep lashing out. I couldn't even blame magic, Amelia had checked me for any traces everyday for the first week. It was all me.

I went to say apologize but he silenced me with a flick of his wrist.

"I neither know, nor care what you have to say. I am done. I can not believe it has gotten this bad. I thought we had at least a little trust between us, but obviously I was wrong. I had though you better than this. Better than a selfish child. You cannot have it all. You want to be safe, but you will not stop those who would cause you harm. You want to live but you will not let others die so you may do so. You want the truth but only believe what you want to. You trust those who have wronged you, more than once might I add. While you refuse to trust those who have given you no reason not to.

If you are in need of a protector, do not expect it to be me. You have always blamed me for your suffering, but I am not the one making you suffer. You are. I have watch you go through everything you have, and continue to return to those who hurt you. You make me suffer because I do not hurt you. If I did to you what they have done to you, you would accept me more. You can say you would not but I have seen you do it over and over. Your words do not mean anything when your past actions disagree."

His voice was softer than before but still tainted angry when he continued.

"I stayed with you with no memories. I loved you and could not imagine being with out you. I regained my memories and lost the ones of our time together. **That was not my fault**, and yet you make me pay for it."

He sighed exasperated, lifted his head slightly and gazed towards the sky looking as if he was searching for answers. His words were quiet almost as if they were more to himself than me.

"Nothing I do is ever enough for you" he gave a sad chuckle. "**I** am never enough for you."

I couldn't take it anymore I started crying and dropped to my knees. Full out, body shaking sobs hiccups and all. Eric just stood there looking at me. I wanted to tell him. Tell him everything. I went to open my mouth but I stopped short. What if no matter how much I told him, he didn't want me anymore? Was it worse for me to let it lay as it was and save myself that last bit of hurt? Was it fair for me to even think about doing that when he had given so much to me, for me? I decided that I would take that leap that maybe, just maybe, if I jumped he would catch me. I thought that even if he didn't, at least I could unburden myself by telling him. He let me make all my choice, it was his turn. I stood up and wiped my tears. I looked him in the eyes in hopes that he see my sincerity in my words. I calmed down enough to have my words be coherent and started.

"I'm sorry. For everything. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I blamed you. I'm sorry I have been so horrible to you. You are the only one who hasn't hurt me. I was afraid if I just let go with you, that you would. It's not fair what I've done to you, after everything you've done for me, that you keep doing for me. You are right I am the one making me suffer but it was never because you weren't enough for me. It was because I knew I wasn't enough for you.

I've never fit. Never belonged anywhere, even in my family. My parents and brother were afraid of me, my cousin sold me out to a queen. I never had many friends. My first boyfriend used me, cheated on me, raped me, and was going to give me away. My second sold me out to a King and let people I know die because 'he had no choice'.

Bill or Quinn or anyone else, they can hurt me and I can heal. It sucks but I can do it. I can always stand back up and keep walking forward. With you, I don't have that option.

You are the only one who gets me. You don't see the telepath or the waitress or 'Crazy Sookie'. You don't see that in me. You see me, all of me, all the time and its scary. You are the only one who could completely destroy me. I yell and lash out at you because if I hurt you enough, you might hurt me back but at least I'll see it coming. Nothing I say will make any of this right. No begging or pleading will fix this. No amount of sorry-s or explanations will heal this between us. If I thought it would, I would spend the rest of eternity making it up to you. I wish it would. I wish more than you could possibly imagine that it could, but I know that it won't.

I have spent everyday replaying the things you've done for me, the times you saved me, our times together (with your memory and without). I miss knowing what your feeling, even when its not always good. I miss never being alone because I always can feel apart of you with me. I miss when I unconsciously fall into the comfort of your touch when your with me, or the bond when your not. I miss the bond, I miss the pledge (even though I don't know much about it), but more than anything I miss you. I miss the way your eyes say more than your words ever could. When your expression softens when you look at me and think I don't see you. The way I feel unstoppable when were together and the way I feel safer than I ever have when you hold me.

I've never fit anywhere, until I met you. And I don't think I will ever find another place that I fit better

Its unfair of me to say all this now. When I have hurt you beyond anything I have ever had done to me but I thought you should know. You were going to let me have all the information so I could make a valid choice, I thought I'd let you do the same."

He just looked at me as I spoke, his eyes judging my sincerity. When I was done we just stared at one another. Our eyes connected like they never had before. We were falling into the depths of the others eyes, falling so deep it felt like we touch each others souls. Nothing existed except us.

We were quiet for a while. The slight tinge of red at the corner of his eye broke our moment. He step towards me and he finally spoke. He spoke softly but determined.

"In this moment, right now; with nothing before this and nothing after. In all sincerity and honesty. Do you love me? Do you love me just as I am? The man I was and the vampire I became, the politics, the danger and all? Do you want to be with me? "

His eyes expressed to me what this was. That this was it. No more chances, no more questions. All or nothing. Death or life. Trust or distrust. Truth or lies. Always or never. Flying or falling.

Yes or no.

This time, I didn't hesitate. This time, I didn't need to think. I didn't doubt. I didn't run. I knew. My answer was genuine.

This was the path I wanted.

"Yes." I said, as I step towards him, reached up and brought his mouth down to meet mine. The kiss we shared wasn't aggressive or possessive. It was soft, caring, tender. A simple communication that this was what I wanted, he was who I want.

I pulled back and looked in his eyes again.

"I love you, just as you are. Always."

I knew then, that simple answer would change everything for us.


	7. Chapter 7

Our eyes connected the way they did minutes before and we were somewhere else again. Everything faded away into those beautiful baby blues. It was just us. The danger, the problems, the hatred, was all gone. He was just a man and I was just a woman. Nothing more, nothing less.

We had touched souls before but this time it was different. His soul was laid bare before me just as I mine was laid before him. I saw many things from his soul. I could see pain, pain I caused. Anger, he had used to cover the hurt so as to not look weak to others. I also saw love. His love for me. It was…overwhelming. It was like an ocean; beautiful, deep, and intimidating with its vastness. I couldn't believe he loved me that much, that he loved me as much as I loved him, but what I saw was indisputable so I embraced it.

He shared his and I shared mine. Neither of us judged, we just simply accepted everything of one another, scars and all.

Then something changed and I knew Eric was having a similar situation to mine.

It was like I was seeing through my own eyes but I was more of a passenger in my body than in the drivers seat. I saw Eric and I hand-in-hand walking through a forest in daylight, looking perfectly at peace with it all. We continued on until we came to a small lake (even in the weird passenger seat situation I was in then it looked familiar though I couldn't place it at the time). When we reached the shore Eric spoke words I didn't understand, and a pathway of stones seemed to rise from the water. We stepped on the stones and we had only walked a little ways before we came upon an arch. A simple, but beautiful, stone arch with writing on it. We continued our walk through one side and as we came out the other we were suddenly at an edge. An edge where the sky touched the earth and created an odd type of blue tinted curtain. It looked like the edge the world. Where this world ended and another began.

We walked right off the edge without a hesitation, as if it was something we'd done everyday of our lives. We didn't fall, like I thought we would. It felt like we were flying, if only for a few moments. We landed in this new world.

Our world.

That point just beyond the horizon. The point where old maps tell you 'Here there be dragons'. Where I knew things could be the same. Where I knew things could be different. Where I knew things were however we wished them to be, whenever we wished them to be. I didn't know how I knew those things but I did and it knew them as strongly as if they were my own name.

Our world looked pretty much the same, trees and grass and such, but it all looked more alive, more vivid. I felt as if the world before was in black and white while ours was like high definition. Even the sun seemed to shine brighter, cleaner. It was what I would consider heaven; the fairies would consider the Summerland; and the vampires would consider dangerous.

As we stood there part of me (which I assumed was the driver) felt content, while another part (me being the passenger) felt fearful with Eric out in the sun with no tree cover like he had had while walking before. I scanned Eric starting at his feet to make sure he wasn't burning in the sun. He looked absolutely fine so the fearful part of me gave into the content part. I smiled looked up at Eric and he looked down, smiling at me. We both leaned toward the other and met in the middle and shared a kiss. It was a kiss full of love, passion, and promise. We hadn't spoken to each other since this all began but we didn't need to. We pulled away slightly and rested our foreheads together. Our eyes connected and we were back where we started, in that place where everything faded away and it was just us.

I couldn't help but think of a quote. A quote I came across on some rainy day way back when, by some guy that I never did catch the name of. But it stuck with me.

"Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight." Eric said

It was weird, to say the least. It was his voice that spoke but it was my thought.

It felt like he was next to me, all around me, inside my head. I couldn't figure where I ended and he started. At some point of us viewing ourselves, we melded. We became whole. Each of us having only been a half before. It was feeling I could hardly explain.

If really had to explain it, I would say it was like coming home from a long time away. That first breath when you walk in the door. That no matter what was behind you or what is in front of you, you sigh because your home and that's all that matters. The feelings of peace that you get by being somewhere you know you belong. That was what it felt like.

I was home.

Eric was home.

We were home.

Nothing made more sense than that.

We slowly drifted back to ourselves, back across our world, back to this side of the horizon. When we finally were back in our own skin we continued to stare at each other. It felt like a part of him was still with me. It felt like the connection of the bond we had but fuzzier, not as solid.

We must have looked a sight just staring at each other for so long but someone figured we needed to snap out of it, and decided screaming at us was the best way.

"You cant be serious, Babe. He's dead. He can't love you and you know it. Eric loves his little piece of Louisiana more than he'll ever love you. He'll never dump his little area for you. He'd never let his little pack of sworn vamps serve someone else. He'll never-"

I whipped around and cut him off.

"Shut the fuck up Quinn!" I screamed. I was fuming. "You don't know. You don't know me and you sure as hell don't know him. If his area and his vamps make him happy, I would never ask him to give that up."

"He'll never put you first. He can never give you children, or the life you deserve. I can give you that." he tried to play on my fears and my doubts but I didn't have them anymore.

"He does put me first and I don't want children. Once upon a time I did but I'm not selfish enough to bring a child into the world I live in, with the possibility that they could be like me." I lowered my voice. "As for you and me that will never be, it should have never been. You're a great man but your just not for me. I'm sorry but I love him Quinn. That's all there is to it. There is nothing more for us to discuss. Go back to Nevada. You shouldn't even be here anyway, since Eric denied your request to enter his area."

"You don't mean that babe. I bet he didn't even ask you if you wanted to see me. He's a lying manipulative bastard. He wants to own you. If he dies you'll be free of the influence on your mind. I can kill him. Just let me. This isn't you. If you get rid of his influence you can be you again."

I chuckled I couldn't help it. "I'm more me now, than I can ever remember being. No, your right, he didn't ask me about your request but there was no reason for me to see you. I told you that we were over. There wasn't anymore to say. And if he wants to own me. That's fine by me, because I know that for every inch of me he owns. I own just as much of him." I paused and my voice sounded venomous when I continued. I was like a lioness when another animal tried to hurt her family. Vicious and deadly. **"He is mine." **I was beyond angry that he thought he could take him from me. It seemed out of character for me all of a sudden to be so possessive but it was as if I was channeling Eric, so I went with it. " And if you even think of trying to kill him, you'll wish he got a hold you before me. Because you will suffer and I will kill you myself."

My blood was boiling and my skin felt hot, it felt centered in my hands, but it wasn't painful. It felt natural, like breathing. I looked into Quinn's eyes and saw only terror. I locked my gaze on him. He started backing up slowly and stuttering incoherent words. I didn't care. He wanted to hurt Eric, and I wouldn't allow that. His eye kept flicking down to my hands and back to my face. The more he stuttered and backed up the angrier I became. He had the audacity to make a threat to Eric but acted like a child watching a horror movie? He wanted to be afraid, I thought, I would show him what he needed to be afraid of. My temperature kept climbing my entire body felt powerful, raw and radiating.

Quinn finally made one coherent word. "Fire."

I finally looked away from him and saw what he was talking about.

In both the palms of my hands were what I would call a fire ball. I wasn't afraid though. The rest of my body had a slight flicker of fire. None of the fire was directly touching my skin. I lifted both my hands palm up to about chest level and tilted my head back and forth examining the fire I held. I closed my left hand and the fire ball sizzled out and disappeared. I tossed the fireball in my right hand in air and caught it. I played with it, trying to get a feel for it. I continued my game of tossing and catching when I raised my eyes to Quinn.

"Gonna threaten some more? I hear cats…don't like fire." Quinn's eyes got huge. I smiled when he didn't answer. "Didn't think so." His tiger was no match for my lioness.

I didn't care if he had anything else to say, I didn't care about anything except what Eric was going to think of this new development. He had been strangely quiet. I turned back around officially dismissing Quinn and coming face to face with Eric.

Eric looked to be in confused awe. I wasn't sure what to do. His eyes flicked to my right hand and I immediately clenched it. The fire in my hand and on my body vanished. I ruefully reminded myself that: Vampires + Fire = really really bad.

He took an unnecessary deep breath, breathed out slowly, and pulled on a sly smirk. "Well, you seem to have learned a few things in my absence and I thought you were hot before." he spoke in a low, husky voice and winked at me. "Maybe we should see what the Ancient Pythoness wants now because since **I'm yours **I think I need to be claimed properly, yes _Mistress_?" His voice was dripping sex and I was sharing the sentiment. Oh boy… that man could make a nun's panties drop.

I tried to calm my lustful thoughts by laughing. It was funny that he would make a sexual comment at a time like that. We had a lot to talk about but standing at the end of my driveway in the middle of the night with one or possibly two of my ex-boyfriends behind me was not the place for it.

So I thought I would play along a little bit, I missed our banter very much in our separation.

"Yes, your right Pet. Come, we have things to do that have been long over due. First the Pythoness though. Then time for play." I tried to sound seductive, which I thought I failed at, but the twinkle in his eyes said I succeeded.

"Well then, let's go take care of this because I am just _dying_ to play, my love"

He scooped me up and flew us back to my house. Where the real fun began.


	8. Chapter 8

Eric touched down in front of my house, and let me get my feet solidly on the ground for about a second before he kissed me. And when I say kissed me I mean _KISSED ME. _The kind of foot-popping, pantie-dropping, where's-the-nearest-stable-surface type kiss. His hands were roaming like a blind man on braille and I was loving it. My inner sex kitten was all for him taking me right there where we stood.

I wanted more skin to skin contact, I needed it. I started to pull at his black t-shirt trying to get it off of him while we were still kissing. It wasn't working and I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed the collar of his shirt and with strength I didn't know I had, ripped it right down the middle, and slid it off his shoulder. I didn't care where the strength came from to do it. I wanted him and I wanted him in such a basic, animalistic type way that some man made material wasn't going to stop me. My hands ran down his bare chest. My warrior's bare chest. His strength was indefinable, his courage was immeasurable. He could take care of me, he could protect me, he could own me, and I would love every second of it. My inner feminist even sided with my inner cave woman on that matter. He growled in response to my own wandering hands and pulled back slightly and started kissing down my neck. He hit that spot just under my ear and I couldn't stifle my moan. He growled again and I heard the tell tale click of his fangs running out. I moaned again and brought his face back up to mine. I kissed him with everything I had in me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped up, wrapping my legs around his waist. He cradled my butt keeping me up.

I had this overwhelming need to bite him, to make him mine, to have him make me his. I was just about to tell him to bite me when I heard her.

"Well, even being blind I can tell you two are having fun. I'm glad you made up, but maybe we could get down to business? Then you two can continue what your doing when were done."

I looked up at the A.P still sitting on my porch, she was trying to contain her laughter after figuratively throwing cold water on us.

Eric sighed and gave a slight frown when he looked at the A.P but didn't put me down.

The A.P continued. "Maybe you could even call the Tiger to add the this little mix. I don't think Sookie would mind. Or even William could join. Either would be an interesting third party to add. You at least can take comfort in knowing that they know how to bring her pleasure. Don't you think?"

His body went rigid at the mention of Quinn. He relaxed enough to put me down but held me closely. He gave a deadly hiss, and glared at the A.P. If looks could kill she would be nothing but a memory.

I was at first offended, then angry then confused, because it seemed like she was trying to get Eric mad on purpose. I was going to open my mouth and give her a piece of my mind but I stopped. I figured out why she was trying to make him mad when the ground started to shake. He was still staring at the A.P and was unaware of what was happening behind us. I looked back when I heard the snap of a tree branch and saw the tree's twisting and contorting as the ground continued shuddering beneath our feet.

The A.P simply raised an eyebrow. "Ah, Earth first. I thought it would be water but no matter. Sorry for upsetting you, I didn't mean it, but I thought anger would be a good way to bring this about." She giggled and Eric snapped out of it, and everything settled back down.

He took a calming breath then asked in only a slightly angry tone. "Earth? Water? What are you talking about Py? It this what you wanted to discuss with me?"

"You catch on fast, old friend." She gave a smile that made me think everything was going the way she wanted it to. I just wasn't sure what way she wanted it to go. "Now I think you can figure out what's happening if your causing minor Earthquakes and plant problems over a little anger. Yes?"

Eric hesitated and responded slowly. "No."

"Oh yes!" The A.P seemed to be very happy that they were on the same page but was dialing back her tone.

He tilted his head down slightly and raised his eyebrows a fraction. "No. It can't be." he said with slight disbelief.

"Oh yes it can. And you know its true." She gave a slight smirk. And gave an eyebrow twitch that made it look like she challenging him to disagree with her.

Eric responded sounding not sure of his answer. "I thought it was only myth. Surely your kidding?"

"No I'm not. And as sure as you two stand here, it is not myth. Not anymore." The A.P had a twinkle in her eye, and I got the feeling she was enjoying his surprise way more than what would be considered healthy.

But I had had enough with it. The in depth conversation was very uninformative to me. Me, who wasn't even in the same book let alone on the same page as them.

"Ok this is great and all really…but I don't know what your talking about. Is this about the prophesies you told me about earlier?" I didn't believe the prophecies in the hall but it sounded to me like a reasonable assumption that that was what they were talking about. Since they were being especially vague, I didn't really expect an answer to my question but was pleasantly surprised when Py did.

"Yes it is child. Particularly about the original prophesy:

_From opposing races they come together_

_Two lovers far apart_

_By a knife they stand connected_

_By blood they are bound_

_Find peace when becoming one_

_Creating a race of their own_

_From south draws the light _

_From north draws the dark_

_Together they erase the gray_

_Balance comes to all'_

You didn't really believe me earlier when I told you this. I didn't expect you to but if you think about it, it is very believable. You are from the race of Fae, of the light; while Eric is vampire, of the dark. You are far apart in age. You were connected by the knife, bonded by the blood. You saw the vision when you became one and your peace. Peace you found in your world. You my dear were born in the south, while our dear Viking here was born up north. Balance will come when you create a race all your own. Since you didn't believe me you didn't ask, what race or in what way would you bring balance." she giggled like a school girl. An ancient school girl but still. "It's elementary my dear…_YOUR elemental_."

"Elemental?" I looked at Eric. He was just staring at the A.P looking kind of unsure of the situation, the explanation and himself. All at once.

"Yes. You know can control fire, you did it earlier. Eric can control earth and did so only a short while ago." she shrugged as if that was that, and I should have no problem believing her. However I did have a problem believing her even though she had been nothing but forthcoming since she arrived.

"How did these powers come about Py? The must originate from somewhere." Eric seemed to be back in control again. And I was glad for it because I was still out in left field. I couldn't even completely comprehend what was going on.

She spoke to both of us. "You were destined to have them but they are gifts from your families."

I was confused and annoyed at the common supe reply: cryptic. Cryptic and unhelpful. Usually they don't expand on the basic reply but thankfully Py was all about explanations that day.

She looked at Eric. "Your birth mother was an Undine, a water nymph, so of course it would be your element. And your mother was the earth the second time you were born, so that is your element as well."

She looked to me. "Your mother was a Salamander, fire nymph, that is where it originates for you. And your grandfather was a Sky fae so air came from him."

"One element comes from direct blood, the second from a connection."

She gave a soft sigh "I thought water would be your first, Eric" she shrugged. "…but I guess there wasn't enough to pull from here. Apparently I'm not good at foretelling the future without actually get the foretelling visions of the future. But whatever sometimes its nice to be surprised."

"OK! well as great and nice as that sounds, my mom wasn't a fire nymph. I would have known about that, I could read her mind and I never got anything like that from her. She was afraid of me being different, if she was some kind of supe she wouldn't have had a problem with me."

"She was a nymph. True, she was afraid that you were different, but she was moral then. She became moral to escape the supernatural world, but as you know you can't escape what you are no matter how hard you try. She gave up her powers and her memories to be moral but fire was in her blood." The A.P paused.

"And now fire is in yours. If you want your other elements you must fix this between you two. You need your other elements, without them you are vulnerable, and will eventually have issues with control. A fireball or two or a tiny earthquake or rustling trees, will be fine but anything on a larger scale you will have problems controlling it, if you can control it at all.

To get to that place, that world, _your world, _you must be bound again. Bond and pledge. When you are bound again you will both have your two elements but will be able to use all four. You will each be best at your originals but will be able to summon and control the other two."

She directed her next comments to us both. "You will truly become one being. Everything will change and people will die, some may be innocent, if you are bound again. It is necessary to be done but you don't have to. The choice is yours. Either way though, things will change. For better or for worse depends on what you do.

It all comes down to very simple things. What are you willing to do to be together? What are you willing sacrifice for the other? Would you pledge yourself to your mate for eternity?

She paused and I tightened my grip on Eric. I had no intentions of letting anything keeps us apart. My big mouth and fear kept us apart for far longer than was necessary. I wasn't going through that again. He looked down at me almost expressionless, but in his eyes, there was that hesitation. That look that he didn't know what I would say. It hurt, that he had that doubt in me but I knew it was my own fault. We had come a long way but we still had such a long way to go. And that was alright with me as long as we were our way together. He was my life, he would come first, no questions asked. Always him.

I looked to the A.P for a split second then back up at Eric. I needed him to know that I meant what I said with every fiber of my being. "Anything, everything, and with out a second thought."

My eyes were watering while I was speaking and a single tear made its way down my face but didn't make it to far. Eric wiped it away with his thumb, still looking at me. He gave me a beautiful and genuine smile. He had nothing but love in his eyes when he spoke. "Anything, everything, and I already have."

We made our vow to each other and sealed it with a kiss. A silent promise between us, that said we knew there would be problems and fights, but we would always come back home. No matter what and no matter when, home would always be with the other.

"Beautiful, children, simply beautiful." The A.P spoke with red rimmed eyes and gave a soft tear tainted laugh "Now. We have some planning to do."


	9. Chapter 9

While we were sitting on my porch Py explained her visions of me to Eric ; me being turned by De Castro and controlled by Victor, Niall starting the war again, Pam dying, him dying, me being a slave, and all the destruction because of it. Lets just say that calming Eric down after him learning about all that took **quite a bit of time**. (He had to replant some of my larger trees.) He was ready to go to war…which is how he came to the simple idea that he would. We still had to call Niall to see if he would help but Eric being Eric probably had a mile long list of backup plans. I didn't think we'd need them but its always good to have more than one. The plan we decided on was actually a very simple and ingenious plan.

First, Eric and I would re-blood-bond. Then Eric would meet with the counsel, having been the last survivor in power of Sophie-Ann's regime, and challenge Felipe's rights to the crown of Louisiana and Arkansas. Eric would go as the rightful heir to the throne and seek approval from the counsel to take it back. And the fact of him 'being in negotiations' with the Prince to draw up a peace treaty between the Fae and the Vampires would only help his cause. Niall, in a gesture of good will, would arrange a marriage between a Fae princess (who would be named at the ceremony, _of course_) and Eric to cement the treaty. The counsel would agree and make Eric King because of the A.P, her visions and vision of the other seers, being common knowledge among their ranks. This entire plan would be simply for show, because if nothing else vampires do enjoy their theatrics. This way, Eric and I could get married with no one to question it; the fae would be safe within Eric's territory; Victor wouldn't be our problem anymore since Eric could ban him; and Eric would look strong by being backed by the fae and saying that our marriage was purely political so he got to save face after my epic blowout. The only drawback was the Eric would have to fight De Castro for the crown in a literal battle and win to truly take the crown. (Eric liked that part the most.) We all seemed to agree that it would be best to make a more political and less physical type of attack because that way only the bare minimum necessary to die, would.

After we iron-ed out the details about the fae (what a pun!) Py decided that she would leave us to ourselves and set up the convening of the counsel in two nights time so as to be able to have them all. She left and said that she would call that night to update us on things.

That left just me and Eric sitting on my porch swing. Without saying a word he reached over and took my hand. We sat for a while, neither of us saying anything, just simply enjoying the comfort of contact. We watched the stars. We listened to the sound of the crickets and the other animals that we still up wandering around. I felt truly happy having him there with me. After a time, I stood up and gave a slight tug on his hand, intending him to follow me. He gave me a questioning look, but complied. We stayed quiet as I pulled him into the house, up the stairs, down the slight hall and finally to my room. We walked at a slow pace. There was no rush.

When we got into my room I finally let go of his hand, gave a slight tilt of my head gesturing towards my bed and started to undress. I was down to my undergarments when I turned around to find him clad only in his boxers sliding under the covers and into the bed. He held his hand out to me and I took it as I climbed in to bed and laid facing him. As we lay there I couldn't help but want to cry. His eyes held so much emotion in them, there was always a slight mischief about them but not then. It was just pure unadulterated love. I leaned forward and gave him a sweet kiss and he returned it in kind. The loving kisses led to loving caresses. The kisses and caresses led to my need for connecting to him in the best way we knew how.

The was only slow movements and meaningful looks. He discarded his cloths and I discarded mine. He started kissing me as if I was about to disappear and he would never see me again. When he seemed satisfied that I wouldn't just vanish from his arms he continued kissing down my neck and then body. When he reached his destination at the juncture of my thighs, with his eyes still connected to mine. He touched me in a way that was so sweet and tender it brought tears to my eyes. After I hit my second climax he rose back up to face me and placed himself at my entrance. He kissed me with so much adoration that I doubt there is even a word to truly express or explain it. He took a deep unnecessary breath, never taking his eyes off mine, and entered me. It was always took a little time to adjust due to his size but it was a welcome intrusion. He kissed all over my face so lightly I wouldn't have known he had if I wasn't watching him. As he held himself still about me waiting for me he spoke words that I will never in this life or the next forget.

"When all is said and done, I am but a simple man. I wish for nothing more than a woman to call my own and a home for me to reside. This world has changed, as have I, but I have always wished for these things. I have wished for a woman and instead got a goddess. I have done nothing in this life to deserve something like you, but I wish to become a man that does. If you would allow me I would worship at your feet for eternity. For the home that I feel when I am with you and the completeness I feel when I am inside you is something I would die a thousand deaths to retain. I am yours as you are mine and I will love you for as long as I exist."

He then started to move. He kisses away the tears that had formed an begun falling down my face. It was more than simply sex, or any other such thing. It wasn't even about the pleasure that we received. It was a confirmation of the joining of our love and inner-selves.

When we finally lay sated after many round, each sweeter than the last, we clung together naked for a long moment or two while touching each other as if we closed our eyes for too long the other would disappear. He propped himself up on his arm. He said nothing but simply stared down at me with a small but sweet and genuine smile. I couldn't help but respond to his smile with my own. I didn't want to disturb the piece with any sound but I needed to respond to his earlier comment. So I took a breath and reached up and cupped his face, gently rubbing his slight stubble. I spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

"You are an amazing man. There may be things that you have done that were bad, or horrible or any other word that you feel fits. But that does not take away or diminish the fact that at the heart of you, you are a good man. You fought and struggled and suffered to extents that I will never know, but you survived. You survived and even more than that you _lived_. The proof that you live has come in every joke and every action I have ever seen from you. I may not always agree with what you do, but you don't need to be anything other than what you are and who you are to be a man that deserves me. If I am a goddess than you are god among gods. It is me that should worship at your feet. The home that I have always wished for is with you. Nothing else could compare. I am yours as you are mine and I too, will love you for as long as I exist."

He just looked at me, saying nothing. I thought I had said something wrong but before I got a chance to say anything I say that there was a slight tinge to the corner of his eye and saw that it looked like he had a slight bite on his inner lip. He took a deep breath through his nose and slowly exhaled as he pulled me to his chest. I wrapped my arms around him and put my head in the crook of his neck as he rested his cheek on my hair with his arms gripping me in a tight embrace.

We laid like that for what felt like hours, simply basking in each other presence.

He finally broke the silence in a quiet voice with a question. He had an almost, but not quite, miss-able sound of nervousness laced into his words.

"Will you take my blood?"

I pulled my head back and looked up at him. I gave a slightly questioning look but responded.

"Of course. I want nothing more than to be bound again. I miss it more that I have words for." I said with a sad a smile. "We can start now if you want. Gran always said : Never put off what you can do today."

He gave a wicked grin but didn't reply. He sat up, spread his legs and pulled me to sit between them. It reminded me of when we were in Mississippi and exchanged like this. I should have known in Russell's mansion about Eric's feelings and my own. I should have listened to that little voice in my head that said to stay with Eric but me and my attitude about trying to save some lying ex that did horrible things to me. I learned my lesson about ignoring that little voice. It may take me a while to learn a lesson but after I learn it, I don't forget it. Thank goodness I was done with fighting my feelings for Eric. It had become very difficult.

Meanwhile, he bit into his wrist and placed it in front of me. I latched on like it was water in the Sahara. I always secretly loved his taste, all thick and rich. It was like getting chocolate when your craving (without the wicked back leash of calories). Just what the doctor ordered. He flicked my hair and kissed my neck before he gently bit down as well. He began rubbing up against my back. As soon as he took the first couple of draws, I felt it. (not just his gracious plenty _thankyouverymuch_!) That tiny, itty-bitty barely noticeable buzz. As soon as his wrist closed up I let go and gave a content sigh. Eric snaked his arm around and just as he was about to slide his hand down to the place I needed him most… he quickly closed my wounds, just out of bed, grabbed his pants, and tossed his shirt at me. He said a name that ordinarily brought a smile or a blush to my face, but with the fierce protective expression he wore, I had a feeling it wasn't anything good.

"Pam."

I froze. With slight shock in my voice I asked. "What?"

He pulled up into his full height looking every inch the terrifying thousand year old vampire Viking Sheriff he was and said coldy, in an attempt to control his rage.

"Something's happening to Pam and whoever is doing it will wish they knew better than to mess with me and mine."

All I could think then was a very simple statement that I have found truly fit that entire night perfectly:

Well damn…


End file.
